Various articles are decorated by placing a decorative band of a shrinkable material around the article and then heating the band to cause it to shrink to conform to the surface of the article. Spherical, cylindrical and irregular shaped three-dimensional articles can be decoratively ornamented in this manner. A few examples of such articles which can be decorated in this manner are fragile toys, glass articles, craft models and seasonal ornaments such as Christmas tree bulbs. This decorating technique possesses considerable advantages over prior techniques which involve decorating the articles by hand or by using silk screen or striping machinery. However, with the use of this technique the finished decorated articles have secured thereto a band or film of a shrinkable material. For certain applications it is desirable to produce decorated articles which do not have secured thereto an overlay of a shrinkable material.